A Phantom Christmas Carol
by Lanthir Took
Summary: While secretly following Christine as she goes Christmas caroling with Raoul, Erik discovers a new way to fluster a certain viscount.


A Phantom Christmas Carol

Chapter 1

Just because he had let her go didn't mean that he had given up stalking her. So far Erik had trailed Christine and Raoul to the candle-light church service, and after overcoming some distinctly pyromania-related impulses, had followed them outside for Christmas caroling. Erik found it difficult to inconspicuously appear in public while wearing his characteristic half-mask, but for this occasion he had wrapped an oversized scarf up to his ears. He found did the job of hiding his facial features quite nicely. Erik had also thought to bring along several alternate disguises. He had talked to _her_ twice that night, first as a cab driver, and then as a bell-ringing charity worker. Christine had smiled kindly and dropped ten francs into his cup, which he had immediately slipped back into her pocket when he rejoined the caroling group. He had returned Raoul's donated coins to his pocket as well, just before stealing his wallet. It was only fair; the managers had been terribly behind on his paycheck ever since the chandelier incident. Besides, the vicomte was rich enough.

The caroling group in which Erik now found himself was an decent one; men in top hats, ladies in elegant dresses with muffs around their hands, little children who laughed as they darted among the adults… and of course the two lovers. Erik was keeping a close eye on the pair from his position at the rear of the group as he muttered the verses to the carols under his breath. It would not do to have Christine recognize his voice. At the moment she was preoccupied by holding hands with her fiancé as they merrily chimed in with the chorus of Jingle Bells. _Oh this was a sweet little scene. Sickeningly sweet. _

Erik moodily scooped a handful of snow off a nearby wall and pressed it between his gloves, making a mental note of which carolers were worthy to call themselves singers. Of course, both Christine and Raoul had excellent voices. They huddled close together to keep out the cold. A little too close. Erik felt his grip tighten involuntarily on the clump of snow. The two kept glancing at each other, whispering and giggling between carols. What was so funny? Erik certainly was not amused. It was cold, and he could think of many places that he would rather be than in the streets with a group of strangers singing inane holiday music for no apparent reason. _Why couldn't she have spent her evening someplace warm? But no, _Raoul_ had wanted to go out, _Raoul_ had thought it would be fun._ And to Erik's chagrin, it seemed Christine _was_ having fun. As Erik looked on, Raoul carefully placed his arm around her waist. Erik's fist closed even tighter. Christine reciprocated Raoul's gesture by resting her head on his shoulder. He gripped tighter still. Was that a nuzzle? Yes, they were definitely nuzzling. Erik hated nuzzling. Tighter and tighter. Just before the end of _Silent Night_, Christine decided to bestow her lover with a light peck on the cheek. The snowball melted in his grip. _What was she thinking!? Christmas caroling? With __Raoul_Erik glared furiously at his soaked glove and scooped himself a fresh clump of snow on which to take out his anger. _Why on earth did she choose to waste her talent spreading holiday cheer in the freezing cold with that pathetic excuse for a fiancé when she could be beneath a dark, deep, glorious opera house singing Don Juan WITH ME! _Busy with his thoughts, Erik forgot himself and let his deep mellow voice soar above the sound of the other carolers. Christine instantly went white. Erik checked himself immediately — almost too late. She was looking around, frightened. And there was Raoul, right by her side, reassuring her, holding her. _This was no good. He'd never get close to her with that little guardian puppy forever at her side._ Dejected, Erik turned and began to sulk off in the opposite direction, tossing what was left of his snowball over one shoulder. The muffled cry of surprise that followed brought him to a halt. He turned. Very slowly. It seemed his snowball had found a target.

Raoul was brushing the white stuff off his shoulder, looking in confusion at the sky.

"Raoul, are you coming?"

"Huh-?"

Christine fell back from the others to retrieve her perplexed fiancé. "I said are you comin- What are you looking at?"

"Wha- no- nothing." Raoul shook himself. "Nothing sweetie."

"Come on then!" She tugged at his sleeve and laughed. It was a sound like sleigh bells, and when combined with the sparkle in her eyes from the street-lamps, it was more than enough to make Raoul forget his snowball troubles. He obediently tripped off after her.

Several yards away, a dark masked figure turned from watching this scene over his shoulder. _Hmmm. Stress release._


End file.
